Optically anisotropic materials are significant in modern optical applications. Many achievements in information display technologies are based on development of anisotropic optical retarder layers.
Most of the phase retarder layers used in modern LCD technology is produced by mechanical stretching of the extruded or cast polymers. Control of optical anisotropy can be achieved by adjusting stretching parameters as well as material selection. A polymeric phase retarder layer, for example, can be attached to a PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) polarizer sandwiched between protective layers. Retarder layers can combine both optical compensation and protective functions. For example, cyclic-olefin polymers (COP) are used for manufacturing of phase retarder layers for optical compensation of vertical alignment (VA) and in-plane switching (IPS) LCD modes, while at the same time providing a protective function. However, COP based phase retarder layers as well as other hydrophobic polymeric materials have a problem of adhesion to the hydrophilic PVA layer.